A Guide for Individuals Who Will Soon Be Parents

08 Jul A Guide for Individuals Who Will Soon Be Parents

You’ve made it through pregnancy, labor, and delivery, and you’re now ready to settle in at home with your new baby and start your new life together. When you get back to your house, however, you might get the impression that you have no idea what you’re doing!

Even the most anxious first-time parents should be able to quickly work their way up to feeling confident about caring for a newborn with the help of these tips.

Receiving Assistance Soon After the Delivery

During this time, which can be very hectic and overwhelming, you might want to think about getting some help. Talk to the doctors and nurses you encounter while you are in the hospital. There are feeding specialists and lactation consultants available at many hospitals who can assist you in beginning nursing or bottle-feeding your child. Additionally, nurses are an excellent resource for teaching new parents how to properly hold, burp, change, and care for their infants.

You may want to consider hiring a baby nurse, a postpartum doula, or even a responsible teen from the neighborhood to assist you at home for a short period of time after the birth of your child. Your primary care physician or the staff at the hospital can assist you in locating information regarding in-home assistance and may also provide referrals to home health agencies.

Family members and close friends frequently offer their assistance. Do not disregard their experience simply because you hold different opinions on some topics. But if you aren’t feeling up to having guests or if you have other concerns, you shouldn’t feel guilty about setting limits on the number of people who can visit your home.

Taking Care of a Newborn Baby

It is possible that the fragility of newborns will frighten you if you haven’t spent a lot of time around them. Be sure to keep these fundamentals in mind:

• Before you interact with your child, it is important to wash your hands or use a hand sanitizer. As a result of their immature immune systems, newborns are more likely to become sick than older children and adults. Check the hands of anyone who handles your child to ensure that they are clean.
• Give your child’s head and neck the support they need. When you are holding your baby in your arms, the head should be supported in a cradle position. This should also be done when you are carrying your baby upright or when you are laying your baby down.
• Never, ever shake your newborn, no matter how frustrated or how playful you are feeling. In extreme cases, shaking can even lead to death by causing bleeding in the brain. Instead of shaking your baby to wake them up, try tickling their feet or blowing softly on one of their cheeks if you need to wake them up quickly.
• Check that the carrier, stroller, or car seat your baby is using is properly secured before you leave the house. Reduce the amount of rough or bouncy activities you participate in.
• Parents must keep in mind that your newborn is not ready for rough play at this stage, such as being jiggled on the knee or thrown into the air.